From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Aberdeen

I have read where some growers trim the tendrils, and see other grower's diary keeping them. Is there any pros and cons for cutting or keeping them? Thanks.

2/3/2016 3:11:05 PM

Germany

Con: It´s alot of work (you need to remove them as long as they are very small...the smaller the wound the easier it will heal).
Con: Every wound is a potential risk of infection.
Pro: You don´t have the risk the plants catch their neighboring vines and make it hard for you to put them back into a decent position.
Pro: You save a handful of water and sugar which isn´t used by the plant for growing this additional tissue.
Con: I recall having read that tendrils produce some kind of plant hormones which stimulate growth, something you might wish to retain in your plant.

2/3/2016 4:17:58 PM

Colorado

If you bury the vines in a trench its best to remove them.The younger/smaller they are when you prune them the better they'll be scarred over when theyre cover over with dirt. If you don't trench then leave them.They help keep the vine from rolling in the wind and they provide more area to pile dirt on.I tried to keep them and put small bamboo stakes for them to grab(a working tendril is reported to signal more growth hormonally/apical dominance) but didn't have much luck with the tendril cooperating.Ag tendrils don't grab things near as aggressively as long gourds -for example.

2/3/2016 7:20:30 PM

Portland, OR

I find that the tendrils tend to balance the vines. If you remove when small, the vine tends to twist.

I let mine grow, then remove prior to burying in the trenches.

2/8/2016 4:43:23 PM